The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-07-09
=nreboys receive but lit

agement and if those who are so acte
lively engaged in the service of the
community receive no reward what
ever why then should other young
men enlist when they know that their
only reward will be but passing
Thought or an unkind criticism. With
y few laudab!e exceptions they do not
own property and are not interested in
the rate Of insurance. If l may be per-
mitted 10 express An opinion, / will tell
you who should be firemen, the hes: Of
firemen, and for the best OF reasons,
THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
Those whose interests are most directly
involved. Do they realize the fact that
but for the efforts of these young men
they would pay Il much higher rate Of
insurance than they do. Why, one of
the best informed insurance agents in
North Louisiana, perhaps the State, is
my authority for the stat ,rncnt that if
there was no, fire company III the
city Of Monroe, the rate Of INSURANCE
would surely advance 50 per cent, and
thai the most reliable companies would
Withdraw entirely. Ii there is Il prop
erty holder here who is net II fireman,
I'll ash; him to take this fact home and
think about it. Don't stand idly by
ana crittcisc while these young men
bear all the burden. If you think their
company might be improved, epter
their ranks and improve it, pat your
shoulder to the wheel Ike men and /
promise you the best drilled: and most
efficient volunteer fire department III
the State. But if you are unal:erab'y
opposed IT, becoming an active mem
bcr, why then there is another method
by which you may assist them. You
| will tind it in Article i Of their Cunsti-
tuition. Its first sentence reads Thus:
"!Ionorary members may be admit
ted into this company by paying ar
| nually in advance the sum of $50. OO.''
| 70 this article l would in behalf Of the
best interests of our city, cniI you care
full attention.
l will not attud" to the pretty little
! two story brick engine horse which
| funds accumulated il! this way would
erect, nor its comfortable apartments
for the company, its engineer, its fire
man, driver and horses, ali tonding to
make this company what it should he,
"rhe pride of Monroe.''
|
you that there is another and n power
ful organization represented here to-
day. An organization whose ramiii-
cations extend from ocean to ocean and
from center to circumference of this
broad land. An organization which
counts its loyal and loving sons and
daughters by the hundreds and hund-
reds Of thousands. An organization
whose ambition, whose highest amhi-
ton, is to rescue the tniling millions
from the grasp of the selfish; an or
ganization which embraces within its
folds every class Of honest toll from the
humblest iaborcr to the merchant
prince. Odacitita Assembly No. 1890,
l greet you. 1t stands, ladies and gen
tIemen, the representative in your
midst of a monster organization an
organization born OF oppression and
reared to full-grown manhood almost
by magic; and, my friends, why
Because tic pressing needs Of The hour
demanded ii.
The right of any class Of citizens 20
organize for any lawful purpose 30 sane
man will deny, and if the millions and
millions Of wage w0rkefs---bread Win
ners of our Iand-do not organize for
the protection of their interests and
project them, who viii: 1t is need
less to remind an intelligent audience,
one so welI-informcd rs this, that in
many, in fact, in most parts of oar
country, wage workers have wrongs II
right and grievances to adjust. Would
you deny their right to right a wrong,
or as free men TO seek an amicablo adj
justment of those differences which
sometimes arise between them and
their employers: Certainly not. But
pei haps, you will ask, if the KS Of l..
are willing TO arbitratc, why do they
strike! Let me tell you right here,
| that the noble order of The X. Of j.. OF
America are moi responsible for strikes.
God knows they are not, and Hi prove
it to you.
The 18Th section OF the l5ta article o!
its constitution declares that ..Strikes
are ucplorab!c in their effects and con-
trary 10 the best Interests; Of the or'ler.''
Is it not, therefore, clear that strikes
are not of our seeking: But when
soulless corporations vii! not arbitrata,
or if they do and shancfuIly break
their agreements, and 1t thus becomes
absolutely necessary to rnjoin an OPP
pressor whose wage slave writhes un-
der repeated blows OF cruel injustice,
ground under the heel Of oppression, u
heart bleeding with love for his little
| ones, II mind tortured witt! a rccuI,Cc-
ton OF wrongs which hi hats endured
for ages, the poor toil"r, after iaborirg
| If. pprhapS 10 out of ne II hours